Goin' green

I'm a proponent of "green" initiatives. My thinking is that businesses I patronize, from retail stores to online purchases to even the kind of cell phones being put out, I want to encourage those businesses to continue to find ways to make things better for the environment and also save on cost. For example, Sprint (full disclosure - I work for 'em) has been talking up their green efforts quite a bit lately:

www.sprint.com/green

http://newsreleases.sprint.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=127149&p=irol-newsArticle_newsroom&ID=1317794

I love hearing about how companies have already taken action to do something instead of saying "we will do X in Y years" In Sprint's case, it talks about 80% of its World HQ power needs comes from wind power (I've also seen large solar panels on the tops of the parking towers), collecting more customers into "online billing only" to save on paper bills and mailing costs, and the packaging materials for those phones they sell have been getting better and better, more recyclable and less waste. That's definitely what I'm looking for from other companies!

Google is currently my favorite "eco-friendly" company. They have an app called "Google Power Meter" that, when combined with a compatible smart meter, you can analyze and take action to reduce power consumption. I think the biggest waste, in America at least, is definitely electrical power - which leads to building more polluting plants like coal or gas power plants. I think we just have so many electronics that draw power even when they're turned off - so things like "Kill-A-Watt" have been growing in popularity. I think that as more and more people get to SEE how their electricity is consumed and can tell what's drawing the most power, they can be empowered to save electricity.... thus saving money too!

Now, even with all this environmental talk, I still do have my excesses. One is a dream that someday I'll own a Moller Skycar - preferably the M400. And I probably would have it in cherry red.... :-D